As we saw in Part 1 of this engineering skills blog series, some of the most in-demand engineering skills for the immediate future include: Mobile Applications Engineering, Embedded Systems Engineering, Cloud Computing, AI, and more. As a business, it is crucial to be aware of the demand for these skills, as hiring for these roles will only become more competitive. Let’s take a look below at a few more skills that your engineering team will need to have in the future in order for your business to maintain a competitive advantage.

Network Security and Wireless Technology

Network security and wireless technology are also at the forefront of global working practices, and the number of devices connected to internet protocol (IP) networks continues to grow. Estimates indicate that the number of devices connected to IP networks worldwide will exceed three times the global population in 2023. A solid, secure network and the most up-to-date wireless technologies are required to support technological advances in systems, hardware, software and other information technology-related tools to work correctly. These engineers have problem-solving skills, cybersecurity knowledge, threat intelligence, troubleshooting, maintaining and updating, handling incidents, quality control, audits, and audit trails.

CI/CD

Continuous integration (CI) is a strategy that improves the pace of advancement while ensuring the quality of the code deployed. Developers add code in small increments daily, or sometimes several times a day). This code is automatically built and tested before being combined with the shared file. Builds that fail or have inconsistencies and errors are often repaired in minutes. CI works in tandem with Agile methodologies allowing users to work in increments while the code is automatically merged into the shared repository. CI is used on many software projects, including HTML updates.

Continuous delivery (CD) is a state where the application is always ready for deployment. To deploy the application, there is a manual step. Continuous deployment is the automation of building, testing, and deploying. A new commit will push new code through the entire development pipeline to production without manual intervention if all tests pass. Therefore, continuous delivery employs a manual step, and continuous deployment is automated.

Agile methodologies

Agile methodologies came about in response to the rigidity of the traditional waterfall approach. The waterfall approach was all rigid – no flexibility, just linearity. But what it lacked in flexibility, it made up for with being dependable, reliable, and cost-effective, at least until it had to change. Agile project management is faster than its predecessor because you work in cycles, each cycle producing a new version of your product. Your ability to meet customer needs grows stronger because every process has inputs from your stakeholders that let you know what people want from you next – so they stay happy!

The process is constantly improving when done correctly. You also learn how important it is to communicate every step so everyone knows what is happening and how employees can give input. If there ever comes a point when you need something changed, Agile technologies can simplify the process. Agile technologies combine with project management, knowledge of programming languages, and the CI/CD processes. Agile and related scrum methodologies can bring a faster time-to-market, emphasising collaboration of teams and companies, and it easily adapts to changing requirements.

ASPICE

As a standard Automotive Software Performance Improvement and Capability dEtermination (ASPICE) provides the structure for identifying, executing, and assessing the processes required for system development. ASPICE is focused on software and system parts in the automotive industry. It provides a more controlled system for the development process, ensuring product quality, shortening the release schedule, and reducing the cost impact on product development due to quality concerns associated with later stages of product development.

Process assessment is a method of determining whether an organisation’s working methods are sound and could be helpful if you want to ensure that the company has good practices and procedures. There are many ways to assess how well a company works, the ASPICE model conforming to ISO/IEC 33004 standards. The ASPICE model is intended for use when performing assessments that fit process capability in developing embedded automotive systems. ASPICE has a unique Process Reference Model, tailored considering the specific needs of the automotive industry.

Project Management

Project Management skills are also in demand during these times of uncertainty. These skills can aid teams in balancing a budget, quality, schedules, and other factors to provide the most economical and capable product or service. Project Managers create, communicate, and execute project strategies by responding to change, setting expectations, and providing conflict resolution and communication among the stakeholders.

Programming Languages

Programming languages play a crucial role in most IT projects. These languages include vocabulary and grammatical rules that instruct a computer or computer-operated device to perform specific tasks. These languages are required for everything from HTML to much more complex tasks. Employers/employees must have skills in the appropriate programming languages for their field, projects, and the future. Current programming languages include Python, Java, C, C++, JavaScript, C#, R, Go, HTML, Swift, Dart, embedded Linux, and others.

The Core Problem

The worldwide demand for engineers is probably at the highest level ever, and the supply of qualified professionals seems to be dwindling. There is intense competition for people from a corporate perspective and positions from the engineers’ point of view. People need the right skills to be employable, and companies hire individuals with skills that give them a competitive advantage. Companies often seek the newest technologies and highly skilled workers

Upskilling or reskilling workers is crucial to stay current and maintain competition, especially for today’s rapidly changing technology. It also requires a plan to ensure that you provide the training necessary to cover any gaps that may exist in covering current and anticipated work. A skills gap analysis compares the skills currently available with the existing workforce to those anticipated to be required; to determine which new or upgraded skills may be necessary moving forward.

Once the gap analysis is completed and you know which skills you need to add, you can add one or more of the following:

• On-the-job training allows workers to learn from others with expertise in critical areas. It typically involves the trainee shadowing another employee to observe what is done, ultimately getting hands-on experience while being observed by the experienced employee providing training.
• Mentoring in the workplace can provide less-skilled employees with a sense of security by matching them with someone who can confidently help them learn and reinforce skills, especially new skills. Mentoring and the interaction with skilled employees provide and encourage young professionals to be interested and ambitious in learning new skills.
• Online training has proven to be a useful and reasonably priced tool for upskilling or reskilling employees. There are learning systems and providers, some associated with certain manufacturers and others by a third-party. Third-party online training tools may include LinkedIn, Coursera, Udemy and others.

In some cases, providing materials for upskilling using different platforms or tools can be beneficial. Doing so can help accommodate the various learning styles and solidify the knowledge exchange among employees. In the engineering world, it also keeps your employees informed and the latest technologies and how to implement them. We all learn differently, and using various learning styles in your employee development program can empower employees to build new skills and help your company stay up-to-date and complete. Read more about what engineering employees are looking for in a job these days.

Employers and employees who stay abreast of current and new in-demand technologies will likely have an advantage in the ever-changing and developing landscape of technology. We live in a world where people want the latest and greatest of everything, particularly technology, at their fingertips. Delivering on this requires engineers with skills that meet the demand. If you’re struggling to find engineers that have the expert skills you require, check out TechTeamz. As part of the global CIS Group, we have access to a wide pool of engineering talent worldwide, and we can even build you a remote engineering hub in Europe through our Highly Skilled Worker Program.